The present invention relates to an immersive display system. More particularly, the present invention relates to an immersive display system that incorporates an optical correlator for imaging surrounding features within an environment and determining the relative position of a user""s head within the environment as to display imagery on a visual display relative to the position of the user""s head within the display environment.
Simulation systems are known which attempt to provide a user with a realistic simulation of being in a predefined environment, such as, for example, on a golf course or in the cockpit of an airplane. This is accomplished by providing the user with appropriate visual cues, or images. For greatest effect images are provided to the user so as to provide for substantially all visually perceptible sensory input to the user. These systems are useful for providing the user with the simulated experience of being in another environment.
Known systems provide for a display device which is typically supported by a user in very close proximity to the user""s eyes so as to dominate the visual input received by the user""s eyes. In order to provide for a realistic illusion of being in a different environment, known systems have provided for images or scenes shown on the display device to be changed, or modified by a connected image generator in accordance with changes in the position of a user""s head. As an example, a user could experience standing on a golf course ready to tee-off. As the user maintains a forward head position, the user is, for example, presented with an image or scenes of a fairway leading up to a green on the golf course. As the user turns his/her head, the position of the user""s head changes with relation to the environment and thus the connected image generator changes the images presented to the user on the display to give the user the illusion of turning his/her head while standing at the tee. For example, the user might be presented with images of fellow golfers standing to his/her left or right.
In order to provide the user with a realistic visual perception, known systems have used accelerometers to measure the changes in a user""s head motion to calculate the position of the user""s head. These systems suffer from inaccuracies due to the drift in head location estimates. Although these inaccuracies can be partially compensated for by introducing a high-pass function of the head position estimate and biasing any drift toward a steady state xe2x80x9chead-upright forward facingxe2x80x9d condition, such compensation is useful only if the user""s head position makes short deviations from a forward facing heads up condition. Otherwise, in situations such as where a user is not seated or is free-roaming, errors are introduced which cannot be easily compensated for.
The present invention provides for an immersive display system which incorporates an optical correlator for imaging a surrounding environment to allow for determining the location and angle of a user""s head relative to features and objects in the surrounding environment. There is also provided a display device for displaying imagery relative to the location and angle of the user""s head in the environment in response to a position output signal generated by the optical correlator.
The method of the present invention provides for generating a position signal by optical correlation between signals that represent images of an environment. A relative position relating to a user is determined based upon the position signal. Imagery is generated for display in accordance with the determined relative position, and is displayed for viewing by the user.